The decision to prepare a "presidential statement" for the 15-nation council comes after Russia and China twice vetoed binding resolutions that condemned Syria's yearlong assault on demonstrators opposed to President Bashar al-Assad that the United Nations says has killed over 8,000 civilians.

"The main focus is to build common ground, support Annan's efforts and send a clear message to Damascus," a UN diplomat told Reuters on condition of anonymity. France plans to circulate the draft to council members later on Monday at the end of a closed-door meeting on unrelated matters, envoys said.

1) Removing the regime via diplomacy2) Coercing the regime via sanctions and diplomatic isolation3) Arming the Syrian opposition to overthrow the regime4) Engaging in a Libya-like air campaign to help an opposition army gain victory5) Invading Syria with US led forces and toppling the regime directly6) Participating in a multilateral, Nato-led effort to oust Asad and rebuild Syria.

It admits that all the options are "flawed, some quite some quite deeply."

It warns:

Policy makers should recognize, however, that diplomacy and coercion alone may not topple Asad. The options in this paper offer alternatives for escalation and, at the same time, reasons that escalation would be costly and risky. In the end, policymakers may decide that the price for removing Asad is too high and the consequences for Syria's long-term stability too uncertain. If so, they must focus on the problem of a weakened but defiant Asad who is also more dependent on Iran.

•A team of five experts sent by UN-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan has arrived in Syria. His spokesman said the team would stay until they made progress on implementing Annan's plan for a ceasefire.

• The International Committee of the Red Cross says it has been given "positive indications" from Russia for its plan for daily two hour pause in the fighting in Syria. During a 90 minute minute in Moscow, ICRC president Jakob Kellenberger warned Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov that the humanitarian situation was likely to get worse in Syria.

2.10pm: Six people were killed in the clashes in Mezze, including two members of the security forces, according to British-based Rami Abdulrahman head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

He denied telling the New York Times that 18 people had been killed. The group initially said 18 members of the security forces had been injured. It has now established that two died, and 16 were injured, Abdulrahman told the Guardian.

At least four members of an armed gang, thought to consist of army defectors from outside Damascus, were also killed, he said.

Abdulrahman said the violence began when the armed group attacked the apartment of a colonel in Mezze. After the attack they fled to a nearby apartment.

There was then a three-hour gun battle with security forces. It ended when the security forces evacuated the building and attacked the gang.

Four people from the armed or defected group were killed. The whereabouts of up to six other members of the group are unknown. "We don't know if they are injured or arrested," said Abdulrahman.

1.33pm: The International Committee of the Red Cross has described the Moscow meeting between its president and the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, as "positive".

A spokesman said:

During the meeting, the ICRC received positive indications of support on its operational priorities and on its initiative of a two-hours cessation in fighting on a daily basis. We hope to see concrete results of such meetings on the ground in the coming days/weeks.

1.23pm: The Syrian uprising has been the subject of a number of conspiracy theories, but none as bizarre as this.

In a segment aired last December on how Arab media outlets such as Al-Jazeera Al-Arabiya were "distorting the facts," Al Dunya TV showed a clip from a game between Barcelona and archrival Real Madrid.

The narrator claimed that Barcelona's formation represented arms smuggling routes to Syrian rebels. The players represent the smugglers, the narrator said, while the ball's position represents the current location of the weapons.

According to the narrator, when Barcelona star Leo Messi passes the ball it indicates that the weapons have reached rebels in Deir Ezzor.

There are five people with expertise in political, peacekeeping and mediation. They will be staying for as long as they are making progress (on reaching) agreement on practical steps to implement Annan's proposals.

12.14pm: The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross has warned Russia that the humanitarian situation in Syria is likely get worse.

It claims authorities stormed a hideout of "an armed terrorist group" in a residential building in the area.

Its unclear how many people died. The headline says three "terrorists" were killed in addition to a member of the security forces. The copy says two terrorists were killed and third arrested.

10.55am: Four people were killed in today's fighting in the Mezze district of Damascus, AP reports citing a pro-government TV station.

Ikhbariyah TV station said the clash in the western Mezze district left three "terrorists" and a member of the security forces dead. It said one of the attackers was captured and three security troops were wounded.

Ikhbariyah said the attackers were hiding out in an apartment building before the firefight.

A resident of the western Mezze district said automatic rifles and machineguns were used in the two-hour clash that ended at about 4 am local time. "We also heard three strong explosions," said the man who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of government reprisal.

He added that the clash was close to the Swiss embassy and the home of Major General Assef Shawkat, the deputy chief of staff for security affairs who is married to President Bashar Assad's sister, Bushra.

An activist in the capital said the Monday morning clashes occurred near the political security directorate building. He said the clashes were followed with raids by security forces who were searching for the attackers.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has a network of activists throughout Syria, said 18 of Assad's troops were wounded in the clashes. It described the clashes "as the most violent of its kind and closest to security centers in Damascus since the revolution began."

10.41am: Al-Jazeera is about to publish a cache of Syrian documents it claims will show the Assad regime's plans to prevent uprisings in Damascus and Aleppo.

They also provide proof that the regime spied on Arab League, observers, according to the network's James Bays.

9.51am: An activist group, the Revolution Leadership Council of Damascus, has put together an unverified timeline of what it claims happened this morning in Mezze.

(All times local - two hours ahead of GMT)

12.50am

Heavy gunfire heard for almost an hour in West Mezze near the Tala Tower. All roads leading to the area were blocked by security forces. Several residents were reportedly injured

1.45am

Two blasts were heard seven minutes apart. and police cars were seen heading to the area.

2.04am

Armed shabiha, from Mezze 86, a nearby pro-government neighbourhood, come down to West Mezze to support security forces.

2.30am

Security forces and shabiha force the residents of one building onto the street. Heavy gunfire is heard. Snipers are seen on the roof tops of surrounding buildings.

2.56am - 4am

Two more blasts were heard. A helicopter seen overhead using searchlights. More blasts follow as roads to Mezze 86 are blocked. Ambulances seen in the area. At least three people were killed and several were injured.

4.30am

Smoke is seen over the area as more explosions are hear. Several injured people are take to the al-Muwasah hospital.

7.30am

There is intermittent gunfire as security cars roam the area. The Political Security building in the area is closed. Schools in Mezze are also shut for the day.

She admitted that it was difficult to establish exactly what took place, but claimed reports pointed to possible military defections in the district. Mezze is one of the most prestigious neighbourhoods in Damascus and home to embassies and high ranking officials, Lena explained.

There were explosions, blasts. We heard that there was a clash between the regular army and the Free Syrian Army, but we are still not sure about that.

It kept going from midnight to 6am. There were around 10 blasts. There were so many security forces there. There was a huge clash there. Around 100 injured people reached a nearby hospital.

I heard things but I couldn't witness it myself. We have a network here. We have something like reporters in every street there. We come together on Facebook. We start talking together. 'What did you see? What did you hear?' We start gathering information and giving it to the media.

It was [said] that the Free Syrian Army was carrying out a mission there, but we still don't know. We haven't heard anything from their part yet. But it seems that there might have been a defection in a building there - the political intelligence department. This is the why the regular army was fighting.

This is a heavily guarded areas, so it would be very strange for [the FSA to come from outside the area].

Lena claimed RPGs were reported to have been used causing damage to buildings. She also claimed a helicopter hover over the area using a spot light.

As an activist Lena said she was encouraged by what appeared to have taken place, and insisted this was not wishful thinking on her part.

This is a huge change, to hear gunfire in this prestigious place in Damascus at midnight. This is very very very different. People in Damascus know that this marks the beginning of the end. For me as an activist - I've been waiting for this for so long.

8.32am: (all times GMT) Welcome to Middle East Live. Reports of clashes in the Mezze district of Damascus point to possible military defections.

For advocates of the responsibility to protect [R2P], the worry should be that there is indeed a legacy of the Libya conflict: China and Russia will presume that the model in future operations is rather regime change under the cloak of R2P, and will be more forthcoming with vetoes. We have already seen this over Syria.